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Monday, March 16, 2015

Panchatantra with a twist : The bug and the flea

A bed-bug, named Mandavisarpini, had made a home in the bed of a king. One day it saw a flea, named Agnimukha, coming in and tried to shoo it out. The flea told the bug that, as a good host, it should allow it to stay and taste the richness of royal blood. The bug told the flea that it should not be impatient, and should wait till the king was asleep before sucking his blood. When the king came in to sleep, though, the impatient flea started feeding immediately. Stung by the bite, the king called in his servants to fumigate the room. The flea escaped the room but the poor bug was killed.

* * *

The colony of bed-bugs was heated up by the behavior of this small group of fleas that had joined them in the King's bedroom. The Head-Bug was facing a situation which causes most heads to wonder why they ever thought that being a head was an attractive proposition.

"You need to do something about it, Chief! These fleas do not wait for the King to sleep and they also are very greedy. They keep sucking so much blood that the King will probably feel anemic tomorrow morning."

"Why don't you tell them to go slow?"

This attempt at shifting the responsibility (OR delegation, as the Head-Bug chose to think of it) did not work.

"I tried. They just say that we, bugs, can take it slow and easy since we live here. They are here only for a time and do not know how long they will have the opportunity. So, they have to make the most of it."

Another bug spoke up. "Well! These fleas have just joined the party and they are making merry. We have been here all along and we could not get as much juice from the king. Shame on us. Maybe it is time we learned from them."

The Head-Bug was feeling dizzy.

"I think it is time that you stopped the fleas from doing so much havoc."

"But...that is against our Athithi dharma. I cannot get in the way of our guests' wishes."

"Even if they endanger all of us?"

"What nonsense! I think we should abandon our conservative ways and adopt the ways of the fleas. Look at how well-fed they are after just one hour and we, who have been here for ages, are still looking under-nourished. It is time for bolder steps."

"No..." said the Head-Bug weakly. "We should not take more than our due."

"Nonsense! Who fixed up what is our due, anyway? What we deserve is what we decide we deserve."

"I don't know...I will not take more than my due."

"That's your call, Chief! We will take what we want."

"It is dangerous...what if the King realizes what is happening and takes steps..."

"You are a coward, Chief! When has the King ever bothered about these things. He is too lazy to take action."

"Yes..but...that is because we have not stung him deeply enough to disturb his sleep. What if..."

"If we keep thinking of 'What if' nothing can be done. We do not intend letting the fleas get away with all the blood."

"Do what you will... I will not join you"

"Thanks! Then there will be more for the rest of us."

The fleas, meanwhile, were making merry on their part of the King's body. The bugs joined in all over the rest of the King's anatomy. Even the ones, who were afraid of repercussions, now found it useless to stay away. They gave a mental shrug, said 'might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb', and joined the feeding frenzy.

Even the lazy King was stung, literally, into action after a long, sleepless night. He called in his servants and ordered them to fumigate the room. The fleas, meanwhile, had departed to their own abode. The bugs were all but destroyed.

Whether the King will always need to be stung into action by heedless feeding or will remain constantly vigilant remains to be seen.

I don't mind taking some very interesting risks, such as reading this Panchatantra tale as an allegory :) Very well told. Pandit Vishnu Sharma would be proud :) Some serious fumigation is badly needed, I tell you.

Given my penchant for politics, I was connecting it with Rahul snoop gate. But this story relates to a larger picture with bugs and fleas infesting the country. As always, your posts can be chewed for a long time.